Confection coating apparatus



Jan. 18,1944. c. R. TAYLQR 2,339,437

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS OI iginal Filed Dec. 29, 1959 -2 Sheets-Sheet 1 STATION 112" STATION 1? I STATION INVENTOR Carl R. Taylor Jan. 18, 1944. R TAYLOR 7 2,339,437

CONFECTION COATING APPARATUS Original Filed'Dec. 29, 1939 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Carl R Taylor" ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 18, 1944 GONFECTION COATING APPARATUS Carl R. Taylor, Cleveland Heights,.0hio, assignor to The Cream Cone Machine Company, Cleveiand ohio, a corporation of Ohio Gri-gi-nal application December 29, 1939, Serial Divided and this. application.

April 15,1942, .Serial No. 439,055

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for making food articles such as frozen confections, and more particularly to suchapparatus for producing chocolate nut coated frozen confections.

There are numerous machines available for making frozen confections and the like which operate on the principle-of a-con-tinuous process. Such machines are of elaborate design and construction and consequently are veryexpensive. Makers of frozen confections who donot have a very large business cannot afford toinvest in expensive machines for making their products. Furthermore, even large manufacturers of frozen confections do not wish to set up and operate large continuous process machines during slack business seasons because of the difficulty of cleaning and servicing such machines. However, to make a reasonable large number of frozen confections by hand is considered undesirable-because of the increased labor cost. It is, therefore, an object of the present-invention to provide apparatus for making frozen con-fecti'onswhich may be economically operated: on a large or small scale toproduce confections in quantity with a minimum amount of labor;

Another object is to provide apparatus of the character mentioned which may be quickly and easily prepared for operation and which may be readily disassembled and cleaned so that it may be used to advantage for eitherrelatively long or relatively short periods of time.

Another object isto provide apparatus for making frozen confection articles which minimizes' the handling of the articles 'by' the operator or operators so that the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitation may be maintained.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for handling frozen confections and the like which accommodates a multiplicity of such confections at once. More specifically, it is an aim of the invention to provide apparatus which receives a plurality of confections for coating or covering thereof with comminuted food particles such as crushed nuts or cracker crumbs. In this connection it is to be observed that the unique article or confection handling device is devised to simultaneously hold a multiplicity of articles by their ends and in fixed relation with respect to one another for simultaneous coating thereof.

A. still' further object of the invention is to provide a generallyimproved apparatus forapplying comminuted food. particles. to confections, which apparatus .is of relatively simple design and construction and inexpensive to manufacture and which may be assembled, operated and disassembled with. a. minimum amount of relatively unskilled labor. Other objects and advantages inherent in. the invention, will become apparent as the following description of a suitable embodiment. of the invention is made in connection. with the accompanying drawin in which,

Figure 1. isaplan View of. the. apparatus show.- ing the sameset-upin readiness: for the manufacture of confections;

Fig. 2. is a front. elevational. viewof theapparatus;

Fig. 3 1s a transverse; vertical sectional. view through the.- confection dusting or covering; apparatus;

Fig. A isav sectional view with parts broken away, taken. substantiallyon the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in sectionshowing the pivoted wings for retaining, the comminuted food particles on the holder carrying the confections, and. the mechanism for moving the.-wingsintooperative position; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail insectionshowing the construction of the. dump bottom in the hopper or bin which; carries the comminl bed food particles'to apositionsabove: the-confections in the receptacle or troughpixthe; dusting or covering device.

The apparatus of this inventionmay be used, for example, in making frozen: confections according to the methoddisclosedin my .co-pending application, Seria1 No.. 311,555., filed December 29, 1939, now Patent 231L109; granted February 23; 1943, of which thepresentzapplication is -adivision.

In carrying out this method, the. frozen articles A may be any well known: confections, such, for example; as ice cream cones each consisting of a conical shell formed of bakedlor'fried'..dough and formed into the shape of a. cone; ."Wi'thin the'cone there is received aq-uantity of solidified confection such asice cream Inathe preliminary stages of the manufacturing processaand not forming anessential 'partzof" the; present in:- vention, the cones are placed in. carriers. or baskets and then passed through. a fillings ma.- chine which deposits ice-cream in a number of the cones inasing-le operation. I The baskets. or

carriers; filled with the ice cream cones, are

placed in a refrigerated compartment. to freeze or' solidifythe ice cream and thereby prevent loss of the ice cream fromthe cone during-subsequent steps of the process. One by one the baskets or carriers are withdrawn from the refrigerated compartment and the cones or articles A are transferred to a suitable holder H which is provided with sockets to receive the articles and means for retaining the articles in the sockets. ,In this manner the frozen articles or ice cream cones are locked in the holder and the latter can be picked up by the operator and inverted without the articles being released from the sockets. In the inverted position the holder H is positioned above a container or tank T at station IV and lowered sothat large ends I3 of the articles or confections A are immersed in a bath or mixture I4 of congealable liquid contained in the tank T. The liquid "I4 may be any desirable coating material, such, for example, as chocolate sauce or similar type of syrup. This liquid adheres to the articles and coats the ends 13 thereof. The composition of the liquid is such that it congeals or solidifies at low temperatures. The holder H is then turned over to position the articles A, now coated with the congealable liquid or syrup, in upright attitudes and the holder is placed in the hopper or bin B at station V.

The bin B is formed with imperforate side walls '15 and I6 and end walls 11 and I8, all of which converge or slope downwardly toward one another; providing a relatively small opening I9 at the bottom of the bin. The side and end walls may be formed of suitable material, such as sheet metal or laminated wood, and the end walls are cut away to provide recesses 80 having walls 8I. These recesses accommodate the handles, 52 of the holder so that the holder has contact with the side and end walls of the bin, as indicated at 82 and 83, in this manner separating the, interior space within the bin into an upper portion 8 above the holder H and a lower portion 85 below the holder.

Thereceptacle B is carried by a portion of supporting structure S, having spaced uprights 85 and 81 at opposite ends of the receptacle.

These uprights extend above the level of the tops of the receptacle walls and carry slide bars 88 and-89 in spaced parallel relation to one another. As shown in Fig. 3, the slide bars extendrearwardlybeyond the receptacle B and provide supr port fora movable dump bottom hopper or bin 90. Extension brackets 9|, preferably formed of metal, are securedto slopingside walls 92 of the bin 90 and extend laterally therefrom over the slide bars 88 and 89. End portions 93 of the extensions 9| embrace theslide bars to guide the movement of the bin.

A dumpbottom isprovided for the bin 90 and comprises a multiplicity of panels or slats 95 piv oted at their, edges to spaced parallel rods. 98 extending transversely across the bottom of the bin at right angles to the direction of reciprocation of the bin on the bars 88 and 89. The ends of the rods 96 may be rotatably received in journal members 91 secured along the bottom edges of the sloping sidewalls of the bin (Fig. 5).

The free ends of the slats 95 are provided with extensions pivoted at 98 to a common shoe 99 which is engageable with a track I89 carried by thesupporting structure and the'rear side wall 83 of the receptacle B. When the bin 99 is in the position illustrated by the broken lines of Fig. 3, the track Illflsupports the shoe 99 in an elevated position which retains the shutters or panels 95 of the dump bottom ina common plane, Upon movement of thebin 9flto the right,.. as

viewed in Fig. 3, the shoe 99 rides on the track I88 until the bin is positioned over the holder H and confections supported thereby in the receptacle B. When the shoe rides off the track I09, the support for the slats 95 of the dump bottom is released and the slats pivot downwardly to the spaced parallel position illustrated by the full lines, thus releasing comminuted particles, such as crushed nuts Iili (Fig. 6) previously placed in the bin 98 to fall by gravity over the articles A coated with the liquid M.

A sufficient quantity of the nuts MI is placed in the bin 98 before the latter is drawn to releasing or dumping position over the coated articles in the receptacle B, so that the upper ends of the articles above the holder H are entirely buried or embedded in the mass of released nuts or other comminuted food particles (see Fig. 4), Where the broken line I02 indicates the approximate level of the nuts in the receptacle B after their release from the bin 96.

Pivoted at 64 to the tops of the receptacle ends are Wings or closure doors 1'95 which normally hang downwardly into the recesses 88 in the end walls TI and T8. The doors Illli are of such size that the lower edges I98 thereof clear the end edges of the holder H, as shown in Fig. 4, when the doors are pivoted inwardly toward one another. In this manner the doors Hi5 are arranged to close the openings from the upper chamber 84 into the recess 8t, thus preventing nuts or other food particles IllI from escaping through the recess 89 into the lower chamber or compartment of the receptacle.

Arms or extensions 33 secured to the wings or doors I05 and extending upwardly therefrom are disposed when the doors are in their lowered position in the path or" a curved track or guide Hi9 secured by extension IIU to the extension brackets 9i which support the bin on the slide bars 88 and 89. Accordingly, when the bin 98 is moved from its retracted position, shown by the broken lines of Fig. 3, to its advanced or dumping position, shown by the full lines of that figure, the arms I638 are engaged by the tracks or guides I99 so as to pivot the wings or doors I from the normal full line position illustrated in Fig. 5 to the broken line position of that figure. In this manner the apparatus for covering the coated confections with comminuted food particles includes mechanism for closing off the upper portions of the receptacle chamber from the lower portion thereof to prevent the escape of the comminuted food particles therefrom. Preferably, the leading end of each of the guides or tracks [99 is formed to converge or extend inwardly, as indicated at III of Fig. 1, so that a gradual swinging movement is imparted to the doors M35 as the bin is advanced to dumping'position. After sufiicient time has elapsed for the congealable liquid I4 on the upper ends of the articles A to become solidified while the article ends are embedded or surrounded by the mass of comminuted food particles H, the bin 99 is pushed by the operator away from its position over the receptacle B to approximately'the retracted position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 3. This movement of the bin causes the guides I99 to release the doors 01' wings I05 and expose the handles 52 or endsof theholder H so that the latter may be grasped by the operator and inverted while above the receptacle B to release such of the comminuted particles or nuts as have not adhered to the coated articles. The

carried by the uprights 8B and "81.

released food particles or nuts are discharged from pas'sing between the holder andwthe recepthrough'the narrow opening 19 in the bottom of the receptacle into a scoop or hopper "I I4 supported by theguides M5 on crossmembers I I6 'After the holder H has been inverted over the receptacle B to release the unattached comrninuted food particles, the completed frozen confections or articles A are released by shifting the lever 69 to Withdraw the plus $4 from the cones l.

Thereafter the cones are wrapped or packaged as desired and are ready-for sale and consumption.

The comminuted'food-particles or nuts received by the hopper l M are placed in the bin 99 while the'latter is in the retracted or receiving position'shown by the broken lines of Fig. 3 and the full lines of "Fig. l, the panels of slats 95 having been moved to closed position by the shoe 99 and track tilt. Comminuted food particles in sumcient quantity to make up for that adhering to the previous batch or group of coated articles is then added to the mass thereof in the bin Sill and the coating apparatus is ready for the next batch of articles to be treated.

If desired, a cooler 1 11 may be provided adjacent the receptacle B at Station VI of the apparatus. This cooler can be mounted on the supporting structure S and comprises a tank or box suitably refrigerated by means of dry ice or solidified carbon dioxide H8. Instead of releasing the coveredarticles from the holder I-I immediately after being withdrawn from the receptacle B, the holder may be placed so that the edges thereof are supported on the side or end walls of the cooler box III with the coated-and nut covered ends of the articles A extending downwardly into the interior of the box-over the cooling means i it. In this manner thefinished confections can be subjected to a cold atmosphere for a period of time after the nuts have beenapplied and before being packaged, so as to insure that the congealable liquid is thoroughly chilled before individual handling of the articles occurs. After the completed confections have been cooled in the refrigerator -lll' they may be withdrawn therefromas a group, secured in the holder and then released from the holder onto a table or receptacle in the packaging department of the establishment making the coni'ections.

l he principles of the present invention may be utilized in various ways, numerous modifications and alterations being contemplated, substitution of parts and changes in construction being resorted to as desired, it being understood that the embodiment shown in the drawings and described above is given merely for purposes of explanation and illustration without intending to limit the scope of the claims to the specific details disclosed.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for coating confections, a holder for supporting a multiplicity of confections in unright spaced apart relation and constructed to provide a support for comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, a receptacle having closed side Walls for receiving the holder and confections and including means for supporting the holder so that the confections are wholly below the top or the side Walls, and said holder having marginal edges formed to contact the side walls of the receptacle around substantially the entire periphery of the holder to prevent comminuted food material on the holder adapted to support er being receivable in receptacle, a

tacle side walls, whereby the :confections may 2. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a po'rtable-holde'r to mount a plurality of confectionsin side by side relation and comminuted material in spaces surrounding said confections, said holdthe receptacle, means for supporting the holder in the receptacle, a hopper having a dump bottom, track means supporting the hopper formovementto and from a position above the supported holder, and means actuated by the movement of the hopper to said position to release the dump bottom thereof upon movement of the hopper to said position.

3. Confection-making apparatus comprising a portable holder to mount a plurality of-confections in sideby side relation and adapted to support comminuted material in spacessurrounding said confections, said holder being receivable in the receptacle, means for supporting the holder in the receptacle, a hopper having a dump bottom, track means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a position above the supported holder, movableclosures in the receptacle, and means: actuated by movement of the hopper'to said position for substantially simultaneously moving all of said closures into adjacence with the edges of the-holder to'thereby seal the space 'betweensaid edges and the receptacle walls, whereby the confections may be embedded in comminuted material delivered into saidreceptacle.

4. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder to mount a plurality of confectionsin side by side relation and adapted to support comminuted material in spaces surroundingsaid confections, said holder being receivable in the receptacle, means for supporting-the holder in the receptacle, a hopper having a dump bottom, track means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a position above the supported holder, movable closures in the receptacle, and means actuated by movement of thehopper to said position for substantially simultaneously moving all of said closures into adjacence with the edges of the holder to there- .by seal the space between said edges-'and-the receptacle walls and for releasing the dump bottom of the hopper to drop cormninuted food particles contained in the latter onto mounted articles.

5. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a hopper having a dump bottom, track means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a releasing position over the receptacle, and means actuated by the movement .of the hopper to release the dump bottom thereof upon movement of the hopper to said position.

6. In confection making apparatus, a receptacle, a hopper comprising side wall means and a plurality of pivotally mounted bottom forming slats, means mounting the hopper for movement to and from a releasing position over the receptacle, means interconnecting the slats for substantially simultaneous opening movement, and means automatically to actuate the slats in unison to close the hopper bottom upon movement of the latter away from said position and to open the hopper bottom upon movement of the hopper to said position.

7. In apparatus for coating confections, a holder for supporting a multiplicity of confections in upright spaced apart relation and constructed to provide a support for comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, a receptacle having closed side walls for receiving the holder and confections and including means for supporting the holder, and said holder having marginal edges formed to contact the side walls of the receptacle around substantially the entire periphery of the holder to prevent comminuted food material on the holder from passing between the holder and the receptacle side walls, whereby the confections may be embedded in comminuted material delivered into said receptacle.

, 8. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder having means for supporting a plurality of articles side by side and. adapted to support comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, means for mounting said holder in the receptacle, a comminuted food hopper adapted to discharge through its bottom, means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a position across the top of the receptacle, a movable closure device mounted in the receptacle, and means actuated by the movement of the hopper to a position across the top of the receptacle to shift the closure toward the holder for closing space between the holder and the wall of the receptacle, whereby the comminuted material discharged from the hopper will be retained on the holder and embed said articles.

9. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder having means for supporting a plurality of articles side by side and adapted to support comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, means for mounting said holder in the receptacle, a comminuted food hopper adapted to discharge through its bottom, means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a position across the top of the receptacle, a closure pivoted on the receptacle and extending into the interior of the latter, and means for swinging the closure to a position adjacent one edge of a holder supported in the receptacle to prevent food particles released onto mounted articles from moving 01f said edge of the holder, whereby the comminuted material discharged from the hopper Will be retained on the holder and embed said articles.

10. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder having means for supporting a plurality of articles side by side and adapted to support comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, means for mounting said holder in the receptacle, a comminuted food hopper adapted to discharge through its bottom, means supporting the hopper for movement to and from a position across the top of the receptacle, a closure pivoted on the receptacle and extending into the interior of the latter, and means actuated by the movement of the hopper to said position for swinging the closure to a position adjacent one edge of a holder supported in the receptacle to prevent food particles released onto mounted articles from moving ofi said edge of the holder, whereby the comminuted material discharged from the hopper will be retained on the holder and embed said articles,

11. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder having means for supporting a plurality of articles side by side and adapted to support comminuted material in spaces surrounding the confections, means for mounting said holder in the receptacle, a comminuted food hopper and means for supporting the same across the top of the receptacle, a movable closure device mounted in the receptacle, and means actuable to shift the closure toward the holder for closing space between the holder and the Wall of the receptacle, whereby the comminuted material discharged from the hopper will be retained on the holder and embed said articles.

12. Confection making apparatus comprising a receptacle, a portable holder having means for supporting a plurality of articles side by side and adapted to support comminuted material in spaces, surrounding the confections, means for mounting said holder in the receptacle, a comminuted food hopper and means for supporting the same across the top of the receptacle, a closure pivoted on the receptacle and extending into the interior of the latter, and means for swinging the closure to a position adjacent one edge of a holder supported in the receptacle to prevent food particles released onto mounted articles from moving oil said edge of the holder.

CARL R. TAYLOR. 

